Eating Cactus

[panch0]

Well my mother in law done did it again. She went out in her back yard and and cut some pieces of a cactus and cooked it up with sme eggs and salsa. I'll be danged if it wasn't pretty good eating. It was slightly slimey but good. It isn't the prickley pear cactus. This one was thinner and a darker colored green. Does anybody know what species this is or anything about it?

-frank

[pocomoonskyeyes]

It could be the same thing I see in the Mexican section of the Grocery store. Something called Nopalitos(sp?)

[panch0]

Thats what it is, Nopalitos which translates into little cactus. I being of that ancestory had never eaten the stuff till a couple nights ago.

[pocomoonskyeyes]

Was it good? I like most veggies, even boiled okra so may have to give 'em a try. I love Mexican food. Man I gotta' talk about something else I'm starting to get hungry!!!

[panch0]

It is kind of like okra well sort of. It has the same gooey texture. Just add salt and lime if you are eating them by them self is what my wife told me. She says here dad would throw a strip on the bbq pit and cook it up throw it in a corn tortilla with salsa lime juice and salt and eat it that way. I am going to try that soom. Maybe you should take some to the jamboree.

[pocomoonskyeyes]

OH please Hush I am getting HUNGRY!!!! LOL Now I know I am going to have to try them. I was afraid to buy them for fear of not liking them and I hate to waste food. Just ain't right.

[Ken]

"I do not like cactus. And I haven't liked it since I was a little kid and my mother made me eat it. And I'm President of the United States and I'm not going to eat any more cactus."

George H. W. Bush

[Rick]

I don't think I've ever eaten it.

[canid]

nopales cacti are some of the prickly pear cacti; generally the members of the genus Opuntia. there are many species, around 200.

nopalitos are cut and prepared nopales. it doesn't refer to the size of the cactus, but the pieces it is cut into.

[Rat Eater]

With the last five months in the desert it was a staple food. I can't stand it just cooked stright too slimey. I would peel one side and lay them up toward the sun and dry them. When 90% dry peel the other side and finish drying. Hang em on a string, grind up as needed to go in rabbit stew or grind it and add seasoning and paleverde peas, rehydrate and use it to stuff quail or ducks.

[canid]

i recnetly planted about 14 of these [Opuntia ficus-indica, the common, domesticated agricultural species] along a fence line. i'm definitely more partial to the fruit, but i hope to see them do well. i live in a good climate for these.

[Rick]

The prickly pear grows very well in the Midwest. They look like they die over the winter and come right back in the spring. They grow almost too well.

[TucsonMax]

If you post a picture of the cactus I can probably identify it.

[earth2res]

My mom used to make jelly from the "fruit" of the prickly pear. It was really good.

[mountain mama]

Here are some good recipes for that cactus: http://www.rivenrock.com/recipes.html

I love prickly pear cactus jelly YUMMMMMM

ingredients:
2 1/2 cups prickly pear juice
3 Tbsp lemon or lime juice
1 package powdered pectin
3 1/2 cups sugar

Directions:
1 quart of prickly pear cactus fruit should make about 2 1/2 cups of juice. Pluck the fruit from the cactus with a long-handled fork or tongs. Wash under running water, then use a brush to clean (spines left on the fruit will soften during cooking and should come off after fruit is strained.) Steam until fruit is tender and soft. Mash and strain using a jelly bag or fine sieve. Do not add water. Set aside to allow juice to settle. For clear jelly, do not use the portion containing sediment.

In a saucepan, measure out 2 1/2 cups of cactus juice; add 1 package of powdered pectin. Bring mixture to a fast boil, stirring constantly. Add lemon or lime juice and sugar. Bring to a hard boil (one that cannot be stirred down with a spoon) and let boil for 3 more minutes. The timing is important to get the mixture to jell properly. Remove from heat, skim and pour into hot canning jars leaving 1/4 inch space per jar. Wipe jar rims and seal lids. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. Makes 6 1/2 pints of jelly.

[mountain mama]

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[panch0]

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Thats the one. She just went out back and brought in some planks and cut it up in little squares and cooked it up with some eggs.

[TucsonMax]

There are lots of recipies for Prickly pear, one local treat served at a gardens spot here is prickly pear lemonaide... absolutely delicious

[panch0]

It was not the prickly pear that she cooked up, it was the green plank like in the pic.

[TucsonMax]

Panch0:

Mountain Mama got that picture from: Wikipedia, here's the pic half way down the page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prickly_pear_cactus

It is the prickly pear (at least the picture is) and that's the cactus w/ lots of recipies.